Green Split-Pea Dal with Coconut-Turmeric Rice

Dal:
1 cup dried green split peas, rinsed and picked through
1 Tbs coconut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 inch piece of ginger, minced
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
Rice:
1 cup brown basmati rice
14oz can light coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp salt

1) In a large pot of water, add the peas and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, then turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let sit for one hour.
2) At the end of the soaking hour, drain and rinse the peas. Then, saute the garlic in coconut oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until fragrant. Add the cumin, coriander, ginger, cinnamon and cayenne. Stir for one minute. Add the vegetable broth and peas. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat. Simmer for one hour, or until the peas have broken down and most of the broth is gone.
3) Meanwhile, in a medium-sized pot, add the rice, coconut milk, water, turmeric and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook for length of time dictated on package (I use Trader Joe's quick-cooking brown basmati rice, 12-15 minutes). Stir before serving with dal.
4) Each serving should be dal spread on top of a bed of rice. Salt to taste.

Review: This was a labor of love and not a dish to make after work (which I did). This was phenomenally tasty. The dal was a fragrant, exotic dish that made my entire home smell like Indian food. It's typically made with yellow split peas, but I had an open bag of green split peas that needed to be used. The rice tasted like some of the yumminess I've gotten at Indian restaurants. I always wondered how they made the tasty rice and this must be it. It's not a strong coconut flavor, but it's more of an aftertaste with the turmeric. So, so good!!!

Adapted from:
http://sharetheveganlove.blogspot.com/2010/12/green-split-pea-dal-with-coconut.html